Qatar confirms Gaza Ceasefire progress, prepares for next phase of talks

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is being implemented as planned and that the country is preparing for the second phase of negotiations, said Majed Al-Ansari, the ministry's spokesman.

Speaking at a press conference in Doha, Al-Ansari noted that while minor communication delays have occurred due to the complex situation in Gaza, no significant issues have disrupted the agreement's progress.

"We know that till now the implementation has been going as planned. So we hope that that will continue in Gaza regardless of any kind of political posturing on both sides," he said.

Qatar has been preparing for the second phase of negotiations, which are set to begin in the coming days, he said. The second phase of negotiations between Israel and Hamas is scheduled to start on the 16th day following the initiation of the first phase. Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, is actively working to ensure the talks proceed smoothly, Al-Ansari noted.

Al-Ansari also addressed U.S. President Donald Trump's recent proposal to "clean out" the Gaza Strip and move Palestinians to neighboring countries. He reiterated Qatar's unwavering support for the Palestinian people. Qatar has consistently advocated for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, standing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, he said.

"Our position has always been clear to the necessity of the Palestinian people receiving their lifelines and that the two-state solution is the only course forward in order to solve the Palestinian issue. We have always stood with Palestinians," he said.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday that after the Israeli army withdrew from the two main roads in Gaza covered by the Netzarim Corridor, it is estimated that more than 376,000 Gazans have returned to their homes in northern Gaza.

Since 07:00 on Monday, the Israeli army allowed people in the Gaza Strip to walk back to northern Gaza via the coastal highway, Al-Rashid Street. From 09:00 on the same day, the Israeli army allowed cars and other vehicles to return to northern Gaza via Salah al-Din Street after undergoing security checks.

The U.S. dollar strengthened in late trading on Monday.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, went up 0.2 percent to 99.178 at 15:00 (1900 GMT).

In late New York trading, the euro fell to 1.1578 dollars from 1.1606 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound was down to 1.3388 dollars from 1.34 dollars in the previous session.

The U.S. dollar bought 158.33 Japanese yen, higher than 157.74 Japanese yen in the previous session. The U.S. dollar increased to 0.7799 Swiss francs from 0.777 Swiss francs, and it declined to 1.3591 Canadian dollars from 1.3596 Canadian dollars.

The U.S. dollar added to 9.21 Swedish Kronor from 9.1855 Swedish Kronor.